A New Zealand traveler, Lisa Archbold, residing in New York, found herself allegedly removed from a Delta Airlines flight between Salt Lake City and San Francisco for not wearing a bra. The performer and publicist claimed that a female crew member confronted her about her attire, deeming it “revealing” and “offensive.”

Despite wearing a baggy white shirt and pants, Lisa was reportedly asked to come to the front of the plane, where the crew member scolded her and insisted she put on a jacket to continue the flight.

Facing “unseasonably” warm weather in Salt Lake City, Lisa had initially taken off her two jackets while in the airport. Reluctantly complying with the crew’s request, she covered up with her jacket and re-boarded the flight. Upon disembarking, Lisa shared her experience with the male head flight attendant, labeling it as discrimination. According to her, he stated that the airline’s official policy is that women must cover-up.

Lisa, identifying as queer, expressed her belief that she was unfairly targeted due to not conforming to traditional gender norms. She asserted that the crew member “weaponized a policy to mistreat people who are different.” As a DJ and vocalist known by the stage name DJette Kiwi, Lisa mentioned that Delta, once a favorite due to its reputation for inclusivity, seemed to fall short in this instance.

While Delta does not have a specific dress code, the airline reserves the right to remove passengers if their “conduct, attire, hygiene, or odor” poses an unreasonable risk of offense or annoyance to others. Lisa argues that such a policy can be exploited by bigots and exposes supposedly inclusive companies to potential misuse. The incident raises questions about the balance between airline policies and ensuring fair treatment for passengers of diverse backgrounds.